2018 Vuelta a España

The final day will serve as a tribute to the rider wearing La Roja. It will consist of a short route, where riders can ride slowly, but with an intermediate sprint and a finish for explosive sprinters, which may decide who wins the green jersey, just like last year.

Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) won a hectic bunch sprint in the final stage of the Vuelta a España, beating Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) by a bike length. Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) rolled in several dozen riders later, celebrating his ride into the red jersey.

“It was really good. I think we need to be really proud of all the team for this Vuelta… I think it is one of the most beautiful Vuelta’s [we’ve ever done],” Viviani said.

The first hour of the 101-kilometer stage was taken at snail’s pace as the peloton took in the achievement of reaching Madrid, with the only action coming when Spaniard Igor Anton (Dimension Data) went off the front to soak up the praise of fans in his last race before retirement.

Behind, Bora-Hansgrohe and Quick-Step Floors kept the break on a tight leash of between 5-15 seconds, conscious of setting up their sprinters, Peter Sagan and Elia Viviani respectively.

With 41km to go, the initial breakaway had been swamped, and a different quartet went clear, made up of Diego Rubio (Burgos-BH), Garikoitz Bravo (Euskadi-Murias), Joey Rosskopf (BMC Racing Team), and Nikita Stalnov (Astana). They soon gained around 15 seconds, despite losing Stalnov due to a puncture

The pace was now breakneck, averaging over 50kph around the tight Madrid circuit, as teams fought for the front of the bunch. With two laps to go, EF Education First-Drapac took up the pace-setting, as they looked to set up Tom Van Asbroeck.

With 7km to go, the break of three was swamped, and Julien Duval (AG2R-La Mondiale) took his chances. However, his jump off the front was brought back within seconds.

LottoNL-Jumbo were next to try to take control with 5km to go, working for Danny van Poppel. However, Confidis, EF Education First-Drapac, and Groupama-FDJ soon came over them, as seemingly all teams looked to ride the front.

As the peloton rounded the final hairpin and took the final straight, chaos ensued, with leadout men from LottoNL-Jumbo, Quick-Step Floors, Bora-Hansgrohe, and EF Education First-Drapac struggling to stay in contact with their sprinters.

With 200m to, Sagan, Viviani, Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo), Van Poppel, and Marc Sarreau (Groupama-FDJ) were spread almost neck and neck across the road. However, Viviani was able to come from his position on the far left to take victory from Sagan by a bike’s length.

Behind, Yates rolled over the line with team Mitchelton-Scott, embracing the moment as they took their first grand tour win after going so close in this year’s Giro D’Italia.

“It’s relief, more than anything else, it’s not excitement,” said Matt White, Sporting Director of Mitchelton-Scott. “To win a grand tour a lot of things have to go right, and things can’t go wrong. We’ve got through these three weeks with a different tactic, and another great team. It’s great to get it across the line”.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) secured the green points jersey, Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) took the polka dots for king of the mountains, Yates won the white combined jersey, and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) was awarded the super-combativity prize.

The first hour of the stage was taken at a leisurely pace. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesIgor Anton was allowed some time off the front on his last race before retirement. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesSimon Yates got around the final stage without problem to secure the red jersey. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesRacing took place around a short, tight city-center circuit. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesMany were in contention for the sprint, though Viviani took it by a bike-length. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesViviani took the sprint to round off an impressive Vuelta for Quick-Step Floors. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesThe late start to the race made for spectacular images on the podium. Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesLetting loose on the podium: Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images

Antonio Pesenti reaches the summit of the Col du Galibier during the 1931 Tour de France in this photography courtesy of VeloPress from Goggles and Dust: Images from Cycling's Glory Days from The Horton Collection. Buy this book

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